Authorities in Japan have released a flight attendant of Vietnam Airlines after prosecutors in Tokyo failed to obtain enough evidence to charge her, according to a Japanese media outlet.

Kyodo News reported on Tuesday that Nguyen Bich Ngoc, who was detained last month for an alleged attempt to smuggle stolen goods into Vietnam, her native country, was freed without indictment.

It said the 25-year-old woman has denied all allegations, saying she was unaware the goods were stolen.

Ngoc was captured by Tokyo police on March 26 for allegedly carrying stolen clothes worth ¥125,000 (US$1,222) by bus last September from a hotel in Osaka Prefecture to Kansai International Airport, Kyodo News said in its previous report.

The Japanese news outlet added Ngoc allegedly attempted to smuggle the stolen clothes at the request of a 30-year-old Vietnamese female resident in Japan who has been charged with buying stolen goods.

Besides Ngoc, the Tokyo Police Department suspected some 20 other Vietnam Airlines employees were involved in a smuggling case.

They had asked five of them, including a copilot and four cabin attendants, to turn up at the police office but the five were not in Japan then.

Vietnam Airlines, the national carrier, announced a directive last month that banned aircrew from using large-sized suitcases while they are on duty on international flights, which was apparently intended to improve the carrier’s reputation following recent smuggling cases involving its flight attendants.

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